Living where others go on holiday

My first encounter with my flatmates was like walking into a United Nations conference. With Australia, France, South Korea, Croatia, Hungary and America we represented the four corners of the world. Living, cooking and cleaning together was both absolute chaos and great fun.

Konstanz is a city with an extraordinarily high living quality. The city and its surroundings are popular not only with students, but also with families and outdoor enthusiasts. Since both Switzerland and Lake Constance border Konstanz, the available living space is limited and not always inexpensive. To consider all available housing options in Konstanz, it is important to begin your search for accommodation as early as possible.

Living in a Seezeit student residence hall

Seezeit student services is the largest provider of student accommodation in Konstanz. The rooms are usually in single or double occupancy apartments as well as in shared flats (WGs = Wohngemeinschaft). Every student, however, receives their own personal room. The WGs are usually shared by male and female students. Due to the extremely high demand, the rooms are assigned by lottery. For this reason, it is very important that international degree-seeking students begin their search for a room in a residence hall as soon as possible. For international exchange students the on-time registration during the university application process is sufficient.

A few of the residence halls are located near the city centre on the Rhine river, while others are a short distance from the university. As a result, students living in the residence halls can quickly reach the university campus on foot, with a bicycle or by bus. The rooms in the residence halls are furnished.

1. Application for exchange students

Students who come to Konstanz via exchange programmes (Erasmus+ etc.) or university partnerships will submit an application for accommodation when they apply for admission to the university. The link to the online application is sent to nominated students by the International Office. The application deadlines are

Winter semester: 15 May

Summer semester: 15 November

The housing deposit payment of 750 euro (status December 2022) is also due by these deadlines.

Important:

  • Rooms can only be rented out for the time frame identified in the online form.
  • Rooms can only be rented for a maximum of 2 semesters. If you will be staying a third semester, please begin your search for private accommodations as soon as possible (see private accommodations in Konstanz) or apply directly through Seezeit.

2. Application for master degree students and DAAD scholarship holders

International master degree students and DAAD scholarship holders are welcome to book a Seezeit room through the International Office. This service is only offered for the winter term. For more information see New at the university.

Application deadliine June 30th

Contact: degree.students@uni-konstanz.de

3. Application for degree-seeking students and free movers

International degree-seeking students and free mover students apply directly online to Seezeit Bodensee student services . The Seezeit application is always available under the following link: www.seezeit.com/Wohnen
Please address all applications and questions to Seezeit Bodensee student services . Email: studentisches.wohnen@seezeit.com

Important:
Since residence hall rooms are assigned by lottery due to high demand, not all international students will receive a room through this process. Please consider an alternative from the very beginning.

All successful applicants

Successful applicants will receive a reservation confirmation via email. 

Important:
Students can only move into their rooms on working days (Monday through Friday) and only during the opening hours identified in the confirmation email. Those who arrive in Konstanz on weekends or after business hours will have to arrange for temporary accommodations.
You will either need to provide your own pillow, blanket and sheets in the Seezeit residence halls, or purchase them for 45 euro from the building manager. These 45 euro will automatically be deducted from your deposit at the end of your stay.
In this case, please be sure to also request bedding and sheets from the Mieterservice when you set a date to move in. You are also responsible for providing your own towels. 

Other student residence halls (private providers)

Chérisy-Kaserne
Converted, former French barracks | no central room allocation; the flatmates themselves choose their new roommates | residents of the self-organised housing need to be willing to actively participate in managing the facility.
Contact:
Neue Arbeit KN GmbH
Schürmann-Hoster-Weg 3, 78467 Konstanz,
Phone: + 49 7531 5938 -11
info[at]neuearbeitkn.de
www.cherisy.de

Jägerkaserne (Steinstrasse 17, 17a, 21)
Converted, former French barracks | 208 places in flat shares
Contact:
Weckerle & Florian GmbH, Hausverwaltung
Bleicherstr. 10, 78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 16631
info[at]hausverwaltung-KN.de
www.hausverwaltung-kn.de

Albert-Magnus-Haus
Residence hall run by the Catholic Church in Konstanz | 336 furnished single apartments for students of the University and HTWG (University of Applied Sciences)
Contact:
Albert-Magnus-Haus
Rheingutstr. 36, 78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 2001 -30
sekretariat-amh[at]htwg-konstanz.de
www.amh.fh-konstanz.de 

Thomas-Blarer-Haus
Residence hall operated by the Protestant Church in Konstanz | 174 single apartments for students of the University and the prioritized HTWG (University of Applied Sciences)
Contact:
Thomas-Blarer-Haus-Konstanz
Rheingutstraße 32, 78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 25085
tbh[at]htwg-konstanz.de
www.tbh-konstanz.de 

Humboldt Institute
The Humboldt Institute is a private language school with a residence hall near the university campus. Residence hall rooms are available to non-language school students when space is available. Single and double rooms with a bathroom can be rented per week or month. The building has a cafeteria but no individual kitchens.
Contact:
Humboldt Institute
Mainaustrasse 172, 78464 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 4570 -60
info[at]humboldt-institut.org
www.humboldt-institut.org

Temporary accommodation

If you will live in a residence hall but need to find temporary accommodation before moving into your room, the following options are available to you:

Deutsche Jugendherberge (DJH)
Zur Allmannshöhe 16, D-78464 Konstanz
Phone: +49 75 31 32260 | Fax: +49 75 31 31163
info[at]jugendherberge-konstanz.de | www.jugendherberge-konstanz.de
A valid international youth hostel card is required. You may purchase one when
you check in.
Directions: Bus line 4, bus stop “Jugendherberge”. Then walk up the hill.

Jugendherberge Kreuzlingen
Promenadenstrasse 7, CH-8280 Kreuzlingen (TG)
Phone: +41 71 688 26 63 | Fax: +41 71 688 47 61
kreuzlingen[at]youthhostel.ch | www.youthhostel.ch/kreuzlingen
Directions: Train station Kreuzlingen Hafen (harbor), then walk 700 meters.

Andy's Hostel
Fürstenbergstr. 104, D-78467 Konstanz
Phone/SMS: +49 1520 175 7272
info[at]andyshostel.de | www.andyshostel.de
Directions: Bus line 2, 3 or 12, bus stop “Fürstenberg”.

Humboldt Institute
Mainaustrasse 172, D-78464 Konstanz
+49 7531 - 457060
info[at]humboldt-institut.org | www.humboldt-institut.org

Gerry's Backpacker
Byk-Gulden-Str. 33, D-78467 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 64006
gerry_kn[at]t-online.degerry.as/backpacker/index.htm
Directions: Train station Wollmatingen | Bus stop Riedstrasse, bus line 6 (city); 11 (university)

Inexpensive hotels or boarding houses near the train station
(within walking distance):
Hotel Restaurant Barbarossa
Obermarkt 8-12, D-78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 128 990 | Fax: +49 7531 128 99700
wiedemann[at]barbarossa-hotel.com | www.barbarossa-hotel.com

Hotel Goldener Sternen
Bodanplatz 1, D-78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 25228 | Fax: +49 7531 21673
hotel-goldener-sternen[at]t-online.de | www.goldener-sternen-konstanz.de

Further accommodation:
Tourist Information Konstanz
Bahnhofplatz 13, D-78462 Konstanz
Phone: +49 7531 9001 33030 | Fax: +49 7531 90013 3060
info[at]ti.konstanz.de | www.konstanz.de/tourismus 

Private housing market

Your search for private accommodation in Konstanz will require time, patience - and a little luck!

It is best to arrive early - Your chances of success are much higher if you meet landlords or tenants of shared flats personally.

Beware of fraudulent announcements on the internet: Fraudulent advertisements may include English-language ads, mailed copies of owners' personal IDs, requests to send money through Western Union, MoneyGram or to a foreign account, or deposit payment before arrival. Never rent a room without first seeing it in person.

The following websites may help you in finding accomodation on the private housing market:

  • At the pin boards in the university (beside the Campus Cafe, in front of the cafeteria entrance and in the entire foyer)

Facebook also has many groups related to the topic:

  • Unterkunftsportal Konstanz. Here you can also find vacation apartments that can be rented at normal prices during the winter months.

Living in the area around Konstanz

  • Convenient connections to Konstanz and the university with the Studi-Ticket from the Stadtwerke Konstanz (municipal services), which includes free transportation on buses and ferries. The Upgrade-Studi-Ticket from the VHB (regional transportation network service provider) lets you use all trains to Allensbach, Radolfzell, Singen, Engen, Stockach as well as Tuttlingen und Sigmaringen.
    Especially Meersburg has plenty of vacation apartments that provide students a place to live during the winter semester.

Wohnen für Hilfe (accommodation for help)

Gardening, child care, cleaning, spending time together - “Wohnen für Hilfe” means you support your landlord and can save a portion of the rental costs as a result. One hour of assistance is approximately equal to a rental discount of one square meter. Anyone looking for affordable living space, who likes to be socially active, enjoys family life and is not afraid to help out, has found the right place here. For students at the higher education institutions in Konstanz as well as senior citizens, families and people with disabilities. Visit seezeit - Wohnen für Hilfe to find out more.

Living in Switzerland

EU citizens:

Students from EU-member states may also live in Switzerland. You will need a residence permit from the Migrationsamt Kanton Thurgau (office of migration for canton Thurgau).

Non-EU citizens:

International students who are not EU citizens will not be able to receive a residence permit in Switzerland. Housing in Switzerland is therefore not an option for you.